Tuskegee - Name Origin, Facts & History
What do you know about the name Tuskegee? What does the name Tuskegee mean to you? For many of us at Tuskegee Coffee, it means a lot, we will explain. From Native American history to African-American history, we will explain the history and why we picked the name Tuskegee.
Many people know of the City of Tuskegee in Alabama. Tuskegee, Alabama was named after a Creek Nation leader Taskigi. "Tuskegee" comes from Spanish "Tasquiqui", which came from the Muskogee word "Taskeke", a name of a Creek Nation village in the area, meaning "warriors". A very fitting name for the history that would follow.
There were still people from the Creek Nation around when the now city was founded. The Creek Nation people were force removed from the area after the U.S. Congress passed the Indian Removal Act of 1830. The racist law caused much devastaion to many of the Native American people. Tuskegee, Alabama rose to promenance when Tuskegee University was founded in 1881 by Booker T. Washington. It gained much more attention because of the research done by George Washington Carver. Civil rights activist and legend Rosa Louise Parks was born in Tuskegee, Alabama in 1913. In the early 20th century, the Tuskegee Airfield became home to the Tuskegee Airmen. There were hundreds of African-American pilots who trained there. The Tuskegee Airmen were mostly African-American military pilots who helped save the world in World War II. These brave men risked it all for a higher purpose. The 99th Pursuit Squadron was the first black flying squadron which served in Africa and Europe. In a time of great heroism, many would suffer during the years of the Tuskegee Syphilis Study (1932–1972) where Black men who had syphilis were not told, nor were they informed that treatment was available for their disease, even after antibiotics were available. On May 16, 1997, President Bill Clinton issued a formal Presidential Apology for the study.
To us, Tuskegee means community, valor, and strength of Native-Americans and African-Americans. We chose the name Tuskegee because we want to share this history, continue the legacy, and do good, which is why we are part of the One Coffee Together Campaign.